Page 59 of Marley

I nodded, because talking around the tennis ball sized lump in my throat was proving to be impossible.

“Love you, boy. G’night.”

“Night, Dad. I love you too.”

I cleared away my mess and headed back upstairs to change into a pair of jogging bottoms and running shoes, thinking that I might have to go for a run before I could get any sleep that night. I splashed my face with water and cleaned my teeth before going to check on Georgia. I sat in the chair near her bed and watched her sleep for a little while. She talked in her sleep, but I couldn’t quite make out what she was saying—something about Sean and a tiger? Well, as long as it was Maca she was dreaming of and not this new bloke, there was still hope, I thought to myself.

Her eyes opened and she shivered.

“Marley George Layton, would you please get in here and give me a cuddle? I’m freezing my fucking tits off.”

I didn’t even attempt to hide the smile from my face. It made my cheeks ache it was so big, but fuck it, my sister wanted a cuddle from her big brother, and world famous bad boy of rock or not, I was over the fucking moon.

“Fuck, it must be cold, coz you’ve got some fuckin’ tits to freeze off there girl.”

She shook her head in my general direction, obviously not finding my joke about the size of her boobs funny. I toed off my trainers and climbed into bed beside her. She climbed under the duvet and pulled my back into her front so that she was spooning me.

I was assaulted from all directions by the smell that was so uniquely Georgia and once again, I felt like a six-year-old as I swallowed down the lump in my throat. I’ve missed this, I’ve missedher,so fucking much.

“Don’t you dare fart on me,” she warned.

“Oh please, George, don’t make out. We all know that you’re the farter of the family.” I wondered if she could hear the smile in my voice as I spoke.

“Yeah right, Marls.” She comes back with a sarcastic tone. “Anyway, at least when I fart, it smells of roses. Yours smell like something crawled up your backside and died.”

She digged me in the ribs as she talked.

“Hark at you, fuckin Avon arse.” I responded.

There was a long moment of silence. It hung heavy in the air. Despite the feeling of dread over the conversation we needed to have sitting on my chest, I couldn’t wipe the shit-eating grin off my face.

I was there with my sister, and no matter how uncomfortable the next few minutes were about to become, I was just so fucking happy right then.

“Marls?” She said quietly, her breath making my hair move as she spoke.

“Porge?” I replied.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I’m so glad you wanted me here.” I told her honestly. I hated that there’d been this rift between us. I know I caused it, but fuck, I really thought that she would’ve forgiven me sooner.

“Let’s nevernottalk again,” she whispered.

“No problem ... Porge?”

“Marls?”

“I’m so sorry, for everything.” I think that was the most honest thing I had ever said in my life at that point.

“I know you are, Marls, let’s go to sleep.”

I listen to my sister’s breathing even out, her heart beating into my back, and feel happier than I had in a long, long time.

Fuck the fame, fortune, and fake aspects of my life. This was so much more important. Loving and being loved felt so much better than achieving a platinum selling album. I was acutely aware in that moment of just how miserable Maca must’ve been. I knew he loved my sister in a different way than me, obviously, else that would just be weird. But I thought, right then, that I could understand a little better what he had been going through.

I slid out of my sister’s bed, grabbed my overnight bag and headed downstairs to wait for the car service to come and pick me up. I had a flight at seven thirty, so I was hoping they’d be there by five. I felt bad for leaving before everyone was up, so I left a note on the side, explaining my early flight and promising my mum that I’d be back soon.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN